Winter Pet Safety Tips – Broken Arrow Veterinarians |
Posted: February 21, 2016 |
Winter has finally arrived here in Broken Arrow and when the temperatures plunge, the components can be fairly dangerous for cats and dogs. It is necessary to practice winter pet safety.
Here are 9 Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe and Warm this Winter1. Keep Pets Indoors – The best prescription for winter’s troubles is to keep your pet dog or cat inside with you and your family. The happiest dogs are taken out frequently for walks and to get exercise, but kept inside the remainder of the time. Don’t leave pets outdoors when the temperature drops. During walks, short-haired pets might feel more comfy using a sweater. No matter what the temperature is, windchill can threaten a pet’s life. Family pets are sensitive to extreme cold and are at danger for frostbite and hypothermia during extreme cold snaps. Exposed skin on noses, ears and paw pads can quickly freeze and cause irreversible damage. 2. Get a Pet Wellness Exam – Has your pet had his preventive care test (wellness exam) yet? Winter may make some medical conditions such as arthritis worse. Your pet ought to be examined by a vet a minimum of once a year, and it’s as good a time as any to have a veterinarian take a look at your pets to make sure they are prepared and as healthy as possible for winter. 3. Pay Careful Attention to Coat, Skin and Paws – Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home can cause scratchy, flaking skin. Keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet immediately after they re-enter the house, paying unique attention to his feet and between the toes. Delete any snow balls from in between his foot pads. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to eliminate ice, salt and chemicals which if licked can be toxic. 4. Don’t Let Water Bowls Freeze Over – A typical issue with pet owners who keep pets outdoors in winter are water bowls that are frozen. Make sure your family pets have water to drink at all times. 5. Change Your Pet’s Diet – Most pets get much less exercise in winter and need less food. Keep that in mind and change the amount of food you are providing your pet. Nevertheless, if your pet dog spends a lot of time taking part in outdoor activities, increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep his fur thick and healthy. 6. Avoid Antifreeze Poisoning – Antifreeze is a fatal poison, but it has a sweet taste that might bring in animals and children. Clean up spills and keep antifreeze (and all family chemicals) out of reach. Coolants and antifreeze made with propylene glycol are less harmful to family pets, wild animals and household. 7. Watch for Cats – A warm car engine can be an enticing heat source for outside and feral felines, but it’s deadly. Examine beneath your automobile, bang on the hood, and honk the horn before starting the engine to motivate feline hitchhikers to abandon their roost under the hood. 8. Offer a Warm Bed – Make sure your buddy animal has a warm place to rest far away from all drafts and off the floor, such as in a pet dog or cat bed or basket with a warm blanket or pillow in it. 9. Don’t Leave Pets in Cars – Don’t leave animals alone in a vehicle throughout cold weather, as automobiles can function as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.
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